HUTTO – City Council held department heads’ feet to the fire on Thursday, questioning the necessity of increases that require a 27.62% increase in property tax revenue to fund.
“Expenditure increases are necessary to maintain current levels of service, increase staffing levels strategically to focus on resident priorities reflected in the Strategic Plan and support operating expenses that meet demands resulting from growth,” said City Manager James Earp in his budget presentation.
The council is attempting to cut almost six cents from the budgeted fiscal year 2025 tax rate, shifting from the proposed .459607 voter-approval tax rate to a .399553 no-newrevenue tax rate. As proposed, the rate will raise $3,638,649 more in property taxes than last year.
That amount includes revenue from newlytaxable properties. Earp said expenses need to be reduced by about $2 million to reach the no-newrevenue goal.
“I believe it’s not in our best interest to really make any significant cuts from this budget,” said Council member Brian Thompson. “This is a modest budget and due to the progress that we’ve seen in infrastructure, in quality of life, in safety over the past year, it doesn’t warrant it to me. But I am open to working with my fellow council members and because of that we need to figure out how to make adjustments.”
Council members must collaborate in budget cuts because three of the four officials have decreed they will not vote for a tax rate higher than no-new-revenue, and it takes five members to approve a tax increase.
Mayor Mike Snyder and council members Dan Thornton and Evan Porterfield are steadfastly refusing to vote for an increase, a stance they let the other council members and the public know at a budget workshop earlier this month.
The four other council members objected to the tactics, but on Thursday they came prepared with suggestions for budget cuts.
“Every item I’ll be recommending to remove I think could be justified. I think it’s needed but in the spirit of cooperation and the spirit of working together, I’m willing to look at some cuts,” said Mayor Pro Tem Peter Gordon.
Gordon’s first suggestion was to cut a sidewalk, drainage crew and equipment, a large-ticket item that generated a lot of discussion.
“It was a difficult thing for me to suggest it, but we’ve got to find $2 million somewhere, and this gets us 20% there. My preference would be to fund it, but there are other areas I’m unwilling to budge on,” Gordon said.
While council started with participation and cooperation from all the members, after three hours of debate, tempers flared and old arguments resurfaced.
An emotion-filled exchange between Thompson and Snyder derailed progress, and the meeting adjourned before the budget discussion was complete. The outburst was nothing new for this council, and almost every budget meeting this cycle has been marked by high emotions.
This has spurred comments from the public, including one person who specifically asked council to do better before the evening discussion started.
“When I vote, I hope I vote for adults. Unfortunately, what I’m seeing right now is not too many adults. I see people spending most of their time trying to get other people off of City Council. I see people arguing,” said Hutto resident Perry Savard.
Savard observed that some people on council are voting against ideas based on who proposed it rather than whether the proposal is good for the city.
“Lead as adults. Let’s try to be a shining example to other cities in this state, not a laughingstock,” he said.
Council has two more meetings scheduled in September for budget discussions, on Sept. 5 and Sept. 12 at 6 p.m.. Meetings are held at City Hall, 500 W. Live Oak.
